The English football enthusiast is enamoured of the Cup Final. That, when the teams are the best, is the match of the season. The Scottish enthusiast is enamoured of the International game, England v. Scotland. That is the game for his money.
   The fact that Ireland, after many years of patience, had annexed the International Championship in no way affected the attendance for the forty-third meeting between the sides at Hampden Park, Glasgow, to-day. Scotland claimed seventeen wins against England's thirteen. with a dozen drawn games. The sky became clouded after a fine spring morning, but this was no disadvantage. The ground looked to be in good condition, if somewhat on the soft side.
   From early morning it was evident that there would be a huge crowd, and it was estimated that half an hour before the start fully a hundred thousand had assembled.
   The crowd were still pouring over Mount Florida, and it became evident that the gates would have to be closed, although the accommodation had been increased since 1912. Ambulance men had their first cases, and calls for help became frequent. The Scottish team first appeared, followed by Crompton and the English side. Mounted police kept thousands away outside, and it was evident that gates had to be closed. It was estimated that all records as to attendance had been beaten.
   Gordon won the toss, and England kicked off to time. They at once attacked with vigour, and had a free kick for a foul by Reid on Pennington. Mosscrop forced the first corner, placing excellently. Brownlie dashed in and pushed away. The Scots' right wing got away, Donaldson and Croal making a futile effort. They gained a corner, which was beautifully placed by Donaldson, and Thompson, from long range, found the net and gave the Scots the lead after four minutes' play amid tremendous applause.
   England retaliated promptly on resuming, but Reid broke away. Pennington appealed for off-side. The home centre ought to have increased the lead, but Crompton managed to concede a corner. Smith had a good chance at the other end from a save by Brownlie. There was some good mid-field play in which Croal was prominent. Each side a free-kick, but after a foul by Thompson, Fleming received, and, working in, equalised with a soft shot eighteen minutes after the start.
   McMenemy passed to Donaldson instead of shooting, losing a grand chance. England attacked, but the Scots replied, and McMenemy put in a fine drive which Hardy ably dealt with. Each of the visiting backs conceded corners. The Scots maintained the pressure, and some thought they should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Reid, whose form was indifferent. Crompton put in fine defensive work, but the Albion pair could not hold the right wing of the Scots. Donaldson worked down, but hit the post from a awkward angle.
   Hardy went out to the penalty line to meet a rush by Reid, whom Crompton fouled. McMenemy secured, but Hardy was illegally charged in clearing, and from this the visitors gained relief. From a free-kick for a foul on Fleming, Mosscrop put in a fine square pass. Fleming centred almost along the goal-line, and Smith sent over the bar in extraordinary manner. The Scots next attacked vigorously, but at the interval the score stood at one goal all.
   Scotland pressed on commencing the second stage, and there was doubt whether Hardy saved too late from McMenemy. Referee Bamlett gave a corner, which proved fruitless. The pace was now a cracker, and for a few minutes absolute pandemonium prevailed. Scots drew ahead after five minutes through the agency of McMenemy. The English right wing made a fine effort to equalise, but the Scots replied, and Croal twice made gallant efforts. Mosscrop gave Smith a good opportunity, but the Boltonian foozled badly.
   Hampton made a breakaway, but Brownlie bowled over Walden in no half-hearted fashion. The next noteworthy incident was a rattling drive by McMenemy which hit the crossbar. A corner was forced. Hardy, who had effected some good saves, had to receive attention to his leg half way through the second stage. Scotland drew further ahead, McMenemy shooting in and Reid, dashing up, removing the doubt by landing the ball into the back of the net.
   The pace had fallen away, which was not surprising. England forced another corner, and Hampton put in a fine shot which Brownlie dealt with equally well. Walden missed a cross by Mosscrop, but Fleming tried a fine swerver just wide of the mark. Reid made a good low shot, and Hardy was again hard pressed, but prevented further score.
   

Before a crowd of 110,000 people, Scotland beat England on Saturday by three goals to one. Although extra stands and extra banking have been added to Hampden Park since last year, the gates had to be closed before the game started, and thousands were turned away disappointed.
Getting to the ground was a matter of the utmost difficulty. Hampden Park is some four miles out of Glasgow, and to walk there would take the keen edge off the appetite for the game. Trams were quite hopeless unless one was prepared to fight one's way in and risk a broken ankle from a slammed door. To take a lady by train was impossible. Every taxicab and horse-cab in Glasgow was engaged by 12 o'clock in the morning. Many people only got to the ground by walking half-way and snatching up conveyances as they came back.
Hundreds arriving after the gates were shut climbed the hill which faces the grand-stand and watched the game from there. " Watched the game " is a polite fiction, for the people on the hill could only see the ball when it was kicked very high ; the players themselves they could not catch a glimpse of. Some mental telepathy, however, seemed to pass between them and the spectators in the grand-stand ; and apparently they enjoyed the game almost as much as if they were really seeing it all. They could hear the roar that came up from the crowd when a goal was scored, but until some sign was given from the grand-stand, they could have no notion which side had scored. Whether it was a brilliant shot, a weak save, or a back putting the ball through his own goal they had no human chance of knowing. Yet there they stood and apparently enjoyed themselves. " What fools these mortals be," said Puck. But some forms of madness are good for a nation.
As for the crowd inside the ground, it was a sight to see and never forget. The huge bank opposite the grand-stand was a misty sea of faces, lit up occasionally as the sun struck on them, but mostly a blurred colourless white like baby balloons. Faces and caps, faces and caps, not even a shoulder to be seen behind the front row. From far off the crowd of faces looked like the " hundreds and thousands " of our childhood, dusted on a huge oblong with a green rectangle for a centre. In " The Little White Bird," J. M. Barrie writes that the Baby Walk is so full of perambulators that you could cross from side to side stepping on babies, but the nurses won't let you do it." On Saturday you could have walked round the ground stepping on heads ; but the police would not have let you do it.
There was no championship at stake on Saturday, the Association Championship had been annexed by Ireland already. But as in the Calcutta Cup at Rugby football, so at Association, the game of the year is that between England and Scotland ; other internationals pale before the great game, which is really rather a pity.
It was the fastest game between England and Scotland since the A.F.A. and the F.A. quarrelled...
...A corner followed to Scotland, and, from another, Thomson scored with a long shot. Pennington was responsible for the goal, for he crossed Hardy as the shot was made and unsighted him. This was just four and a half minutes from the start...
A foul against Thomson in the middle of the ground led up to England's one goal. Crompton took the kick ; Smith trapped it cleverly and passed across to Fleming, who rushed the ball through...
...After six minutes M'Menemy shot in from only a few yards out, Hardy having no chance to save. The defence seemed to leave M'Menemy severely alone, each, apparently, expecting some one else to take the man while they looked on. A quarter of an hour later M'Menemy hit the bar with a grand shot ; the ball came out softly to Reid, who scored very easily...